An Easton man who police said left his children alone in a car while gambling will face trial

An Easton man who police said left his three children alone in his vehicle while he gambled at the Sands casino faces trial in Northampton County Court.

Maurice Cook, 30, of the 600 block of Wolf Avenue, gave up his right to a preliminary hearing Monday on charges of reckless endangerment and endangering the welfare of a child. A waiver typically acknowledges police have enough evidence to merit the charges.

Cook remains in Northampton County Prison under $30,000 bail.

At the brief hearing before District Judge Patricia Romig-Passaro, Cook's attorney, Christopher Shipman, said he would speak to prosecutors about a possible disposition in the case.

Police said a security officer at Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem was patrolling the garage the morning of Aug. 20 when he found Cook's three children — ages 1, 5 and 8 — locked inside a vehicle with the doors locked.

Video surveillance shows Cook had entered the casino around 9:30 a.m. and the children weren't discovered until 45 minutes later, police said.

Cook admitted to police that he has a gambling addiction and said he left the children in the car.